September 11, 2007

The Petraeus Report: How's It Playing In Baghdad?

In the coming days and weeks, Washington (and Iowa and New Hampshire) will no doubt be abuzz with reactions to the Iraq status report being delivered by Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Capitol Hill this week. But American politicians and policy wonks aren't the only ones hanging on the officials' every word. Iraqis, too, are watching.

Following yesterday's testimony in the House, AP and Agence France Presse informally surveyed some Iraqis for their reactions.

The results ranged from the hopeful ("The government will improve when the Americans stays to monitor the political and military process in order for Iraq to reach peaceful shores") to the disappointed ("I don't think this will change anything in our country because the Americans will never leave Iraq") to the downright snarky ("If the Americans can't make their own microphones work, how can they may things work in Iraq?").

Reuters, meanwhile, reports on the reaction of Iraqi leaders in Baghdad, who expressed hope that "in the near future... our need will be diminished for the multinational forces to conduct direct combat operations."

Posted at 2:10 PM
Posted to: David Petraeus, Iraq, Military
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